Stationary bikes are a great way to keep your body in shape! If you get easily tired of the upright sitting position of a classical stationary bike, you might prefer a recumbent exercise bike instead.
The main difference between the two lies in the way your upper body is positioned. A classical stationary bike will keep your body in a cycling position, the same as when riding a bicycle, while the recumbent exercise bike comes with a comfortable seat and much appreciated back support. Your upper body gets less tension, while the legs and lower body perform the workout [1].
Mind you, the added comfort certainly doesn’t come at the expense of effectiveness! You can use a recumbent exercise bike for cardio and strengthening workouts, which in turn help you lose weight without causing too much hassle to your joints and knees.
Many recumbent bike reviews out there can get you even more confused, so do your research well to minimize purchase disappointments. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 best recumbent exercise bikes to shed some light on what to expect from each of them and what to look for when buying a recumbent bike. Let’s check them out!
Table of Contents
Top 10 Recumbent Exercise Bikes in Australia
1. Everfit Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike
A great recumbent bike that allows for precise length adjustment in order to fit different body heights! Feeling comfortable and safe while exercising should be a priority and this bike provides for just that. You can choose from its 7 length options to strike the perfect fit for your body.
This is a magnetic recumbent bike, which means it uses magnetic resistance. It offers 8 different resistance levels. The major advantage of the magnetic resistance is silent cycling action, so you can easily enjoy exercising on this bike in quiet surroundings.
The ergonomic seat, padded with high-density foam guarantees more enjoyable workout experience. Of course, you can track your exercise progress on the bike’s sleek LCD screen, displaying the distance, speed, time and calories burned.
This bike has received some great user reviews emphasize its light-weight and compact construction, the multiple resistance options and how it gives you stability during exercise.
The quality build and excellent functionality make this one of the best bikes in its price range today. It gives you as much value as some of the more popular and rather overrated brands, such as the Schwinn 230 model.
2. Marcy Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike
If you like being able to keep track of your workout statistics as you go, this bike comes with excellent heart rate sensors and it displays your pulse as you workout.
With a high-end design and a light but durable frame, you can easily move this compact bike around to different spots in your home gym or house. The transport wheels seem solidly built and it’s easily set it in motion by pushing or pulling on either end.
Another advantage is its step-through frame. Getting on and off the bike is especially trouble-free. The seat can be adjusted to your leg length, so you feel well fitted onto the equipment, while the thick foam padding and the ergonomic design of the saddle help you feel cozy at all times.
It boasts a solid resistance system with 8 different levels of magnetic resistance. You can tailor your workout on this exercise machine to get the results you are aiming for.
3. Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Recumbent Bike
Here’s a bike you can use for a full body workout, as you pedal with the legs and move your arms simultaneously with the moveable handlebars.
You can also choose to work only on your arms, by exercising with your legs placed firmly on the floor. Choose between 8 levels of a workout challenge and combine upper and lower body movements to achieve optimal effectiveness.
This bike comes with a larger seat and back than the average recumbent bike, which enables for a better body posture, as well as more comfort in the pressure areas during exercising.
Heart rate monitoring is available on an LCD display as you go, with the pulse sensors built into the grips on the handlebars. Keep an eye on the distance and time you are going at to stay motivated and focused on your fitness goal!
4. Sunny Health & Fitness P8400 Magnetic Recumbent Bike
An aesthetically pleasing and stylish model of a magnetic recumbent bike, with a pink coloured main body and refined shapes.
It’s built from a material with a high durometer rating (89), meaning the plates of the bike can endure repeated drops with minimal backlash.
You can workout quietly with this bike and choose manually between 8 different resistance degrees to match your strength level. The LCD console will show you all the useful data during your workout, such as the speed, distance, heart rate, time and calories burnt.
5. Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike
This model is created to endure intensive use, as it’s made out of high quality materials, combining premium 14-gauge steel tubing, PVC and rubber.
You can give your legs enough room to pedal at ease, with the adjustable seat mechanism of this bike. You can also adjust the resistance between any of the 8 options available. Thanks to the magnetic resistance it operates on, the workouts on this bike will be noiseless and relaxing.
The step in design of the main body lets you get on and off the bike easily, without commotion, while the generously padded, ergonomically designed seat gives you a gratifying training experience.
6. Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike, White
This white model of the Marcy recumbent bikes is another contender for the best recumbent bike. Pedal your way to your ideal shape and weight target, while also keeping track of your speed, distance and calories burnt in the process.
It comes with 8 preset magnetic resistance levels, so you can switch around difficulties and combine low and medium impact moves to get the most out of your workout.
It’s suitable for different body heights, as the seat is adjustable and you can move it to the position which will feel comfortable to your body. This model also comes with a step in design, so climbing and getting off the device will give you no bother.
7. Marcy Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike
One more Marcy model, this time with soft, foam covered handlebars, to help you easily balance yourself on the machine.
Compact and readily movable thanks to the wheels on the bottom of the main body. The adjustable seat on this one, just as with the previous models, will let you adapt the seat position to best suit your leg length.
Use it to bolster your endurance or to sculpt your leg muscles, without putting your joints and knees through the crunching which other cardio workouts demand. The 8 switchable difficulty levels will let you choose between low impact and more intermediate and challenging training sessions.
8. Marcy Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike
Built to accentuate on tenacity, this model of a Marcy recumbent bike is made out of a premium steel frame, enhanced by abrasion tolerance, and oxidation resistance, guaranteed to last and serve you for a long time!
The handlebars on this one are not only soft and padded, making the grip pleasant to the palm, but they’re also positioned vertically and designed ergonomically, so as to provide steadier balance during active workouts.
It comes with a high-tech LCD monitor – one of the best of its kind. It will give your eyes a break, as the data displayed on it comes written in extra-large numbers. Thanks to this, you can keep track of your speed, distance, time and calories burnt during your training session.
9. Pooboo Recumbent Exercise Bike With Adjustable Magnetic Resistance
You can easily start your exercise and settle into a quiet workout mode with this recumbent exercise bike, due to its high inertia and high speed drive system.
Switch between lighter or more challenging workouts thanks to the 8 different levels of magnetic resistance it comes with.
Its foam covered handles help you keep a proper posture and in combination with the thick padded seat you are in for a comfortable training experience which will provide support to your back and arms.
10. Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RB4953 Recumbent Bike
This is a bike that can support a body frame of up to 125kg (275 lbs), so if backbone is important to you in a bike this model might be up to your liking.
Enjoy a quiet training session and choose between light and easy going mode or work up to more challenging, cardio boosting levels.
What Is a Recumbent Bike
A recumbent bicycle is a type of a static exercise bike that places you in a reclined position similar to that on a rowing machine. The benefit of this positioning lies in the equally distributed body weight. A large, comfortable padded seat further accentuates the support your back gets, making this is one of the best exercise bikes for indoor cycling.
Recumbent exercise bikes are created with a more stable and balanced frame, to provide a low to moderate impact exercise. This is one of the key factors that make the recumbent bike great fitness equipment for seniors and people who take care not to stress their body excessively while still staying fit and active.
The best recumbent exercise bikes are suitable for people with back pain, bad knees or joints, who nevertheless wish to maintain an active lifestyle. These bikes easily fit into varying workout programs and they’re great for anyone else who would like a moderate, yet effective cycling experience.
For more intensive bike exercise routines, see our list of the best spin bikes for home use.
Key Features
Resistance
Having the option of choosing different resistance levels will let you control the difficulty of your workout. Recumbent bikes usually come with up to 10 resistance levels, which gives you plenty of exercise programs to choose from.
Depending on the price range you’re looking into, machines with a magnetic flywheel usually provide for a superior resistance and the added benefit of super quiet operation.
You will find your optimal resistance level as you start using it, so don’t stress over how to set it in the beginning. The best way to determine the right one for you is by following
Padding and stability
If the recumbent bike has a step-in frame this lets you climb on and off the machine easily, so it’s always good to look for this option if balance is not your strong side.
The padding and cushioning of the seat will let you position your body comfortably and not be irritated by longer exercising sessions.
Luckily this functionality doesn’t depend much on the price range. You can find super comfortable seats on less expensive pieces as well, although they might prove less durable.
Pulse sensors
Recumbent bikes are great not only to keep your body active, but also to get yourself a low or medium impact cardio exercise.
Having this in mind, the longer your heart rate stays elevated during the workout, the more fat is burned, which will result in healthy and sustainable weight loss. If this is your reason for getting a recumbent exercise bike you should go for exercise bikes that feature heart rate monitors.
A home recumbent bike with a solid, easy to use LCD display can make a lot of difference in your exercises. Monitoring your pulse and close heart rate control is the best way to ensure you’re working towards your fitness goals.
Weight capacity
Make sure to check if you’re getting a machine with an appropriate maximum weight capacity for you and other potential users. Sometimes, manufacturers will also state an optimum weight limit, for which the bike performs best and lasts the longest.
FAQ
Are Recumbent Exercise Bikes Effective?
As we already mentioned, recumbent bikes can provide you with an effective cardio workout which gets your heart rate going faster. When your body is working with an elevated heart rate, it means it’s burning fat in the process.
In other good news, recumbent bikes are simultaneously gentle on your joints. With this, exercising in a slower-paced mode will still work for different muscle groups, but without putting too much pressure on your body.
Whether you are after harder or gentler workout routines, a recumbent bike has them both, plus more difficulty levels between the two extremes.
Can You Lose Weight on a Recumbent Exercise Bike?
The best recumbent bikes will provide a unique cardio workout. The longer the active cardio workout, helping you maintain a steady, elevated heart rate, the more fat your body will burn while exercising.
In other words, it is possible to lose weight and maintain your ideal body shape with a recumbent bike. As with every other exercise equipment, though, weight loss will depend on the effort and sweat you put in during your chosen exercise routine.
Which Is Better Recumbent or Upright Exercise Bike?
If you’re in the mood for getting a more strenuous cardio workout from your exercise bike, you might want to opt for the upright bike.
On the other hand, if you prefer an effective exercise focused on lumbar support and stability, you might like the recumbent bike better. While an upright bike may feel more dynamic, the best recumbent bikes promote a healthy spinal posture.
Both will get you the exercise, but a recumbent bike will also support your back. To sum up – upright bikes come with their pros and cons, so it all boils down to your preferences and fitness goals!
The Bottom Line
Recumbent bikes are an excellent piece of exercise equipment for all body shapes and weight capacity requirements. Specially designed to give your body the necessary support during training, these bikes often feature adjustable foot pedals to enable a comfortable fit for any leg length.
This bike fits into different workout programs, adjusts to any fitness level including beginner, and easily combines with other types of exercise.
Use them for lighter or more challenging exercise and enjoy the quiet work mode available on the models that come with magnetic resistance. No matter whether you are after calorie burn or casual toning of your body, this recumbent bikes can get you both.
If you’re researching this type of a bike for exercise at home, take a look above at our rundown of the best models on the market. Regardless of your preferred price range, even the budget bikes in this category can deliver a lot for home use conditions.
